Banjo.



G. L. THAYER.

BANJO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1910.

Patented Nov; 7, 1911.

nventor Witnesses C%/ Atto rneys UNITED STATES PA TEN T @FFICE.

GEORGE L. THAYER, OF MOUNT UPTON, NEW YORK.

BANJO.

Application filed August 15, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. TI-IAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Upton, in the county of Chenango and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Banjo, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a banjo construction and consists in the novel arrangement of its parts as hereinafter shown, described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide means adapted to be applied to the rim of the instrument whereby the tone and volume of the instrument may be improved and increased.

WVith this object in View the invention consists in providing a rim of considerable thickness and preferably formed from wood within which and beneath the head is located a supplemental ring which is fixed with relation to the rim. The supplemental ring is located within the first-mentioned rim but the edge of the supplemental ring does not touch the head of the instrument. A vibratory or sounding member connects the lower edge portions of the said rim and ring together and is adapted to materially assist the head in producing vibrations and increasing the volume of the banjo.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is an under or bot-tom view of one form of the banjo. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through the head portion of the banjo as illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of the banjo.

The banjo consists of a primary rim 1 which is of considerable thickness and which is connected with a neck 2 in any appropriate manner. A head 3 is stretched over the upper edge of the rim 1 in the usual manner and the said rim at its upper edge is recessed at 4 so that the head at its edges rests upon a comparatively thin portion of the said rim.

In the form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing a supplemental cylindrical ring 5 is supported within the rim 1 and is held in spaced relation to the same and in concentric position by Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 577,141.

5, is stretched between the lower edges of' the primary rim 1 and the supplemental ring 5 and lies in a plane parallel with the head 3. In the form of invention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the said supplemental head 7 is preferably formed from skin of the same character as that usually employed for banjo heads. In the form of invention as shown in Fig. 3 the thin supplemental head 7 is dispensed with and in lieu thereof a sounding board 7 is employed. The board 7 is in parallel relation to the primary head 3 and is glued or otherwise secured at its edges to the primary rim and supplemental ring. By this arrangement of parts it will be seen that the vibrating surfaces of the instrument are increased in extent and at the same time the appearance and balance of the instrument is not affected or marred. By this arrangement the tone and volume of the instrument are greatly improved.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A banjo head comprising a rim, a membrane stretched thereon, an open supplemental ring concentrically positioned within said rim and having one edge sepa rated by an unobstructed space from said membrane, and a vibratory member having a central opening to correspond with the ring connecting the other edge of the ring and the alined edge of the rim together.

2. A banjo head, comprising a circular rim, a membrane stretched thereon, a supplemental ring mounted concentrically of the rim, means for holding the same with relation to the rim, said means being diametrically disposed and intermediate of the edges of the rim and ring, and a vibrating membrane filling the space between the rim and ring at the opposite edges from the stretched membrane.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEORGE L. THAYER.

3. In a banjo head, a plurality of vibratory membranes, one of Which is centrally orificed, and independent means for adjusting the tension of each membrane, the means for adjusting the tension of that membrane Which is orificed being located Within the orifice thereof.

Witnesses:

HOWARD W. SMITH, U. S. PEARSALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

